Delightfully pleased

Rating: 8/10 (16 July 2013)

The previews for this film, frankly, had pretty much turned me off. I expected more over the top CGI effects with dreary dialog and a forgettable cast. Thank goodness my AC went out and I chose to seek refuge at the air conditioned cinema. The film's pace was quick and the story line tantalizing enough to hook me. The CGI effects were, of course, there in robust abundance, but - and this was what won my heart - they didn't steal the show from the human drama in the film. The characters are likable and even inspirational. No, these are not vastly deep characters a la Ingmar Bergman; they're more like the characters one used to find in the westerns by directors like John Ford and Howard Hawks. The heroes are archetypes, and the film takes on the qualities of a modern age myth. And to top it off, the film is a lot of fun, too. My hat's off to Guillermo del Toro.